When creatives fully grasp the why’s of where to take a brand, the how’s become infinitely more focused.

Building creative bridges starts with understanding where you stand, before exploring expressive territories that will take you where you need to be.

If, like many, you’ve failed to include design and design practitioners at the start of your journey, yes, that’s right, all the way back to stakeholder involvement (understanding your organisation) and focus groups (understanding your target), you’ve opened yourself to missed opportunities. They’re like the gutters between comic book panels, where understanding is built, and the real action happens. How can you be sure that your target group will understand your brand expression as it was intended? And who is best suited to interpret your brand from abstract to tangible? – Bridges are where the magic happens. How should the abstract concept of your brand be translated into concrete representations.

What next? How will you make the leap between strategy and design? What robust bridges exist to take you safely over to the banks of brand realisation. Nonetheless, your identity has been identified and defined. You’ve tinkered with archetypes, dabbled with personality and (as is usually the case) confused yourselves with identity models, prisms, and consultant psychobabble. Launching yourself over the wide gorge between insights and strategic development, you’ve workshopped and head-scratched your way to a potent position. You’ve exhausted focus groups and interviews, developed personas, built customer and service journeys, validated prototypes, and (pat on the back) uncovered powerful insights along the way. Your process is anchored in all the right places all project journeys should start on sure footing. You’ve crossed the treacherous ravine of project management and stakeholder involvement. Let’s assume, for the sake of (my) argument that the groundwork has already been done.

Chasms and canyons that need to be crossed. At every step of our branding processes, whether we’re Sharpies, Akerites, Kottlerettes or Kapferaris, there are dangers lurking underfoot. Written by: Nicholas Bilmes, Strategy Director, Scandinavian Design Groupīrand building comes with no guarantees.

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